Rein back

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weebarney

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Is there ever a bad time to introduce rein back to a horse? I have a 5 yo and I've never asked him to do it so no idea if he knows it not. We have a mini trek competition coming up and one of the obstacles is rein back 4 metres.
 
I teach it to mine early on too - so I'd say yes crack on :). 4m in a short time frame may be a bit of an ask though.
 
As it's 4m between two very narrow poles focus on ensuring that he is straight when backing up. Just ask for one or two steps to start with and build it up.
 
It seems to make sense to them quite easily (not talking a perfect dressage test reinback) – so I don't see any harm in teaching it once forward aids are reasonably understood and established. Just softly and patiently with lots of praise when he "gets it".
 
Just I thought I could remember something said a while back about rein back and nappy horses ? Mine is a really good boy most of the time but he can be nappy around large traffic or just anything he doesn't want to pass on a hack.
 
Yes teach it but also be aware some can fall into the habit of doing it every halt. I started by having someone on the ground pushing his chest and I always say back in the stable when i push him back and he gets it. So when on him aid on and i say back. Make sure you know the correct aid.
 
TL, this is how I ask, rightly or wrongly but works for me. I put both legs on, close my fingers and slightly take my weight out the saddle. I don't have to use my voice. Start off as others, asking on the ground which you do all the time, then once mounted with someone on the ground nudging their chest as the rider gives the aids including the voice etc.
Having to negotiate gates out hacking is a good way to teach them if you can :)
 
Squeeze forwards and before they take a step rein back - if that makes sense.

(don't quote me where that word 'properly' is concerned though ;))
 
There is a bad time to introduce it: during a competition ;) so definitely practise first. A friend of mine's youngster used to go a lovely levade if asked for rein back so be prepared for this! Didn't take many goes for him to get the hang of it though...
 
I've been taught to think of it like this*: Leg means forwards/energy - hands catches the forward motion, whether forwards "through" hands, or more up into the bridle.

For rein-back, think of the hands as a gate - ask for forward but "close the gate" so the forward energy has to result in a step back. As soon as enough "shutting of the gate" has resulted in the desired amount of steps back (though this does not mean a fixed hand), allow movement forward again. Simple pressure and release really. Careful not to haul back and keep your own weight forward. Start with just one step or two and build from there. 4m is a fairly big ask, maybe you will have to compromise on this for now.

(*This may seem utterly incomprehensible to everyone else but to me it makes perfect sense!)
 
For rein back my legs come up and back a little, I take the weight of the saddle - tip forwards a little maybe at the start - so there's somewhere for him to move into and put pressure on the reins.

Re the nappiness, ime if they ever use backwards as an evasion, then make them go backwards further than they wanted to, then halt, then ask to go forwards, that often confuses them enough to make them go forwards again, as it takes away them using reverse as an evasion.
 
Stencilface said:
For rein back my legs come up and back a little, I take the weight of the saddle - tip forwards a little maybe at the start - so there's somewhere for him to move into and put pressure on the reins.

Re the nappiness, ime if they ever use backwards as an evasion, then make them go backwards further than they wanted to, then halt, then ask to go forwards, that often confuses them enough to make them go forwards again, as it takes away them using reverse as an evasion.
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That's interesting. My share hoss, ex racer, is a pro at reversing to get away from something. When I first 'asked' him to back up he got quite confused:o seems it was something his riders had always corrected and here was someone telling him to do it :p
 
I know if we big a lorry when we're out with my sisters pony, invariably the only way we can get him past is to reverse him, thats generally when he's already started the reverse in 'panic' at the lorry or spun around, its not the lorry itself that worries him I think he gets claustrophobic at the small space. At 27yo we're hardly likely to change his behaviour now, so we just get on with it.
 
Dont forget in TREC you can miss out obstacles! :)
All ideas good so far - I did find for the trec training - make your corridor wide to begin - up against a wall to keep them straight.
 
I do TREC, and rein back is one of the obstacles where riders score lowest. Worth teaching your horse to do it well, so you can pick up a useful 10 points while your rivals score zero!
Make sure your poles are wide apart until horse experienced. eg 120cm instead of 80. You are aiming for straightness and calmness, one step at a time not rushing. You can do it in hand or with a helper in front of the horse to make it clearer.
When I'm judging I see far too many riders desperately pulling at horse's mouth and heaving head up and reversing in hollow outline. It has to come from your legs not hands, you need just enough rein contact to prevent the horse stepping forward.
 
little_flea said:
I've been taught to think of it like this*: Leg means forwards/energy - hands catches the forward motion, whether forwards "through" hands, or more up into the bridle.

For rein-back, think of the hands as a gate - ask for forward but "close the gate" so the forward energy has to result in a step back. As soon as enough "shutting of the gate" has resulted in the desired amount of steps back (though this does not mean a fixed hand), allow movement forward again. Simple pressure and release really. Careful not to haul back and keep your own weight forward. Start with just one step or two and build from there. 4m is a fairly big ask, maybe you will have to compromise on this for now.

(*This may seem utterly incomprehensible to everyone else but to me it makes perfect sense!)
Click to expand...

That is a really good description :). I started writing how I do rein back and then realised that it is really hard to describe (an instructor I am definitely not), so I just settled on a really useless one-liner :o
 
I was told quite recently that we do not teach horse rein back early enough and then its the only thing horse does by himself so early rein back is good. We were taught to rein back by a polox player and put legs forward and on .. works every time for us and now all horses rein back from a small shift forward of the leg.
 
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